Changes to the Defense I would love to see

Devin McCourty moving to safety and staying there. He has actually had tight coverage at corner back all season but we know he has a problem with looking back for the football. He gets called for pass interference more then I would like because he doesn’t look for the ball in the air. He plays well at the safety position because he can play the ball in front of him and not behind him like he would at corner. Playing free safety would give McCourty better chances at using his play making skills and getting more interceptions.

Arrington not starting at corner anymore. He has been bad this year. I haven’t been a fan of his ever but defintley not this year. He was awful against the jets. Allowing eight catches for 99 yards. He doesn’t need to be our starting corner especially on passing plays. Less of Arrington please.

Dowling should be the starting corner back. He got called for holding twice. I don’t like giving up penalties but its better then pass interference penalties. He did good against the jets. They didn’t give try to test him much and when they didn’t except for one time it did not work. He is a tall corner. Our tallest one. I like him more then Arrington and he should get more shots to be on the field.

Our other corner can rotate. After the Jets game I wouldn’t mind seeing Sterling Moore starting opposite Dowling. He did good when he was in the game against the Jets. If he does get beat he does have the art of stripping the ball away and causing fumbles. At least he can make up for bad plays in that way. I think he can play tight coverage based on what he did last season against the Ravens,Giants and this season against the Jets. Like I said rotate and go with the best in the game. The Pats can also keep playing Alfonzo Dennard. I really like this guy. He had a bad game against the Jets but he was playing solid the previous two weeks. Him and Moore should play more corner in games.

Rush Hightower more on passing downs. The Patriots need to get off the field on third downs. Hightower has blazing speed. He can be an excellent pass rusher. He can drop into coverage too. Spikes and Mayo can’t drop into coverage at all. They are terrible coverage linebackers. Spikes is one of the best running stopping linebacker there is right now. Mayo and Hightower should rush the passer. I don’t care who they have as a linebacker who drops into coverage on third down but lets let Hightower rush more. He can be great at it. I think it will help the Patriots to get off the field more often.

Allow Jermaine Cunningham to play more. I think he should be allowed to pass rush more in third down situations. Jones and Cunningham rushing the passer with the help of Mayo and Hightower could do a lot for the Patriots. It could help them to get off the field more. That’s a huge thing in the fourth quarter seems to be the Patriots can’t stay on the field on offense and can’t get off the field on defense. If the defense can allow the offense more chances in the fourth it should help this team a lot. The Patriots don’t need a great defense to win the Super Bowl but they need to be better then average this year.

I think the Patriots could be more effective if only they would make some personnel changes to try something. Just try anything to help a very bad secondary this season.